This invention relates to high energy chemical lasers and to a system for generating singlet delta, energizing, molecular gas for use with such lasers. More particularly, this invention concerns itself with an apparatus for generating molecular oxygen in the excited singlet-delta electronic state.
The increased use of high energy lasers that generate a lasing action through the medium of a chemical reaction has created a need for generating systems capable of producing energizing gaseous reactants as economically and efficiently as possible. One reactant component which finds wide acceptance in chemical lasing systems is molecualar oxygen in the singlet delta electronic state. This excited molecule of oxygen has 1.0 ev of energy above the ground state and, as a consequence, can be added to a suitable optically active media. The mixture is then passed through an optical resonator to bring about a lasing action.
A number of methods and devices have been developed heretofore for the generation of singlet delta, molecular oxygen. Microwave discharge in oxygen has been relied on as well as various chemical schemes. One chemical scheme utilizes a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, sodium hydroxide and calcium hypochlorate. Another reacts hydrogen peroxide with a hypohalite, such as chlorine fluorosulfate. Still another chemical scheme effects a reaction between chlorine gas and a liquid mixture of hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide.
The generating systems relied on heretofore have proven successful in generating excited molecular oxygen for use in high energy lasers. However, with the increased interest in the use of these lasers for a variety of military and communication applications, it became obvious that critical need existed for systems or devices that could generate excited molecular oxygen in a manner that was as simple, efficient and economical as possible.
In a continuing research effort aimed at solving this problem and providing an economical, efficient and reliable source of excited molecular oxygen, it was found that the use of an elongated, tubular reaction chamber having a circular, interior wall wetted by a liquid reactive component, could be employed to generate electronically excited molecular oxygen in the singlet delta state. The excited oxygen can then be used, for example, as the energizing gas reactant in a conventional, continuous wave, chemically pumped atomic iodine laser.